One of the favorite conservative whipping posts is the SPLC. Whenever an unfavorable SPLC report comes out, they just deride said report as having come from the SPLC, so why bother with it. So I think it is time for The Subway Canaries to see just who is right.

According to their web page:

"The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, the Center is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups. Located in Montgomery, Alabama – the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement – the Center was founded by Morris Dees and Joe Levin, two local lawyers who shared a commitment to racial equality. Its first president was civil rights activist Julian Bond."

The SPLC was founded by Joseph J. Levin, Jr.

"..In the early 1960s, Joseph J. Levin, Jr. saw one of his University of Alabama fraternity brothers persecuted for expressing unpopular views. Melvin Meyer, editor of the school newspaper, the Crimson White, was taunted by fellow students and the community because he courageously argued in favor of integration at a time when Alabama Governor George Wallace "stood in the schoolhouse door" to prevent black students from enrolling at the state's largest college. The harassment directed at Meyer peaked when the Ku Klux Klan burned a 12-foot cross in front of Levin's Jewish fraternity house early one morning..."

One of the few things that can be found about Levin by googling is this charming article on "Jew Watch". It is another lovely bastion of freedom of expression that is "Not a Hate Site" It is run by Frank Weltner, who, according to Wikipedia is "... a member of the National Alliance, a white nationalist/white supremacist organization." Funny, but after 5 google pages, this is the only negative thing I can find is the Neo-Nazi thing.

Richard Cohen is the current executive Director.

"...Richard Cohen was 31 when he came to the Southern Poverty Law Center in 1986. Less than two months after his arrival, founder Morris Dees announced big news: The U.S. Supreme Court had decided to hear a major desegregation case brought by the Center against the Alabama Highway Patrol. Dees asked Cohen if he could handle the Supreme Court argument, because the lawyer who had been litigating the case was leaving the Center. Cohen, who had previously worked for a law firm in Washington, D.C., had tried cases in court but had never handled appellate work. He didn't hesitate, telling Dees, "Of course I'm up for it." ..."

You will want to check the Charity Navigator for the SPLC expenses. Contrary to some of the criticisms they have a 52%, 3 star rating. Ironically, it has the identical rating as the Heritage Foundation. And, The Center for Popular Culture (Front Page Mag) that authors most of the non-nazi critics of the SPLC has only a two star or 49% rating!..

One of the favorite conservative whipping posts is the SPLC. Whenever an unfavorable SPLC report comes out, they just deride said report as having come from the SPLC, so why bother with it. So I think it is time for The Subway Canaries to see just who is right.

According to their web page:

"The Southern Poverty Law Center was founded in 1971 as a small civil rights law firm. Today, the Center is internationally known for its tolerance education programs, its legal victories against white supremacists and its tracking of hate groups. Located in Montgomery, Alabama – the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement – the Center was founded by Morris Dees and Joe Levin, two local lawyers who shared a commitment to racial equality. Its first president was civil rights activist Julian Bond."

The SPLC was founded by Joseph J. Levin, Jr.

"..In the early 1960s, Joseph J. Levin, Jr. saw one of his University of Alabama fraternity brothers persecuted for expressing unpopular views. Melvin Meyer, editor of the school newspaper, the Crimson White, was taunted by fellow students and the community because he courageously argued in favor of integration at a time when Alabama Governor George Wallace "stood in the schoolhouse door" to prevent black students from enrolling at the state's largest college. The harassment directed at Meyer peaked when the Ku Klux Klan burned a 12-foot cross in front of Levin's Jewish fraternity house early one morning..."

One of the few things that can be found about Levin by googling is this charming article on "Jew Watch". It is another lovely bastion of freedom of expression that is "Not a Hate Site" It is run by Frank Weltner, who, according to Wikipedia is "... a member of the National Alliance, a white nationalist/white supremacist organization." Funny, but after 5 google pages, this is the only negative thing I can find is the Neo-Nazi thing.

Richard Cohen is the current executive Director.

"...Richard Cohen was 31 when he came to the Southern Poverty Law Center in 1986. Less than two months after his arrival, founder Morris Dees announced big news: The U.S. Supreme Court had decided to hear a major desegregation case brought by the Center against the Alabama Highway Patrol. Dees asked Cohen if he could handle the Supreme Court argument, because the lawyer who had been litigating the case was leaving the Center. Cohen, who had previously worked for a law firm in Washington, D.C., had tried cases in court but had never handled appellate work. He didn't hesitate, telling Dees, "Of course I'm up for it." ..."

You will want to check the Charity Navigator for the SPLC expenses. Contrary to some of the criticisms they have a 52%, 3 star rating. Ironically, it has the identical rating as the Heritage Foundation. And, The Center for Popular Culture (Front Page Mag) that authors most of the non-nazi critics of the SPLC has only a two star or 49% rating!..